Hero
by Orion9
Summary: Daniel ends up in the hospital after going to the aid of a mugging victim. ::Complete::
1. Before

Disclaimer: Stargate SG-1 and all related characters are the property of Stargate (II) Productions, SCI FI Channel, Showtime/Viacom, MGM/UA, Double Secret Productions and Gekko Productions. No copyright infringement is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no profit is being made here. 

Category: Gen/Friendship

Feedback: Yes, please…:)               

A/N:  My very first SG-1 post. Yay! I'm still working on a multi-chapter one but this popped up suddenly so I decided to get it done first. It's a one-shot, set in the earlier seasons, but after Season Three's _Forever In A Day_. Have only seen till Season Four, so any similar plot, planets, characters, etc, is purely coincidental. I'm also not sure if anyone has used this storyline before so, advance apologies if you had. Any similarity is entirely by chance. Finally, hugs to my beta. Thanks, sis!

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_Dammit, Daniel_, Jack ranted silently for the umpteenth time as he eyed the unmoving figure on the bed. _When will you learn to be more careful, especially when you always seem to rush headlong into these things?!_

Following the scare, he was relieved that, other than a minor concussion, a couple of broken ribs were Daniel's only injury, although the archeologist's abdomen was currently in exceptionally interesting hues of red, purple and blue. A quick look at his watch told Jack the time – 2020 hours. Apart from Daniel, he was the only other person in the room; he made Carter and Teal'c leave ten minutes ago, ordering them home to get some rest. 

After extracting a promise from their commanding officer to call them once Daniel came around, the two SG-1 members finally left, taking with them an equally concerned Janet Fraiser. He'd promised but Jack was certain he wouldn't be making the call any time soon. According to the doctor, the pain medication would probably keep Daniel asleep at least until tomorrow afternoon.

For the second night in a row, Jack tried to make himself comfortable in the small chair that the hospital had provided him, ignoring the adjacent cot for the moment. Having the right contacts definitely came in handy; it now allowed him to be at the hospital past the standard visiting hours. Glancing at the sleeping linguist, Jack shook his head, marvelling again at the sudden turn of events. How was it that a normal night out in town with Teal'c and Carter had ended up with Daniel in the hospital and him at younger man's bedside waiting for him to wake up? _Wait … what am I saying? We're talking about Daniel here… _

They'd just seen Carter and Teal'c off late last night and were heading towards their respective cars when Daniel had stopped halfway in the act of unlocking his car door, his whole body tensing. Before Jack could even unbuckle his seatbelt, Daniel was already sprinting towards the alley, responding instinctively to the cry for help. By the time Jack got there, one of the two thugs was down but he was horrified to see the other using Daniel as a soccer ball, practically kicking the life out of the kid. _Crap…_

"Hey!"

At Jack's enraged yell, the man looked up, his leg drawn back in mid-kick. One look at the Colonel's face was enough of a deterrent for him. Without another sound, he turned and scurried away, leaving his insensible partner-in-crime behind. Jack ran to Daniel's side, torn between staying with his fallen friend and going after the assailant. A faint moan from Daniel quickly eliminated the other choice and Jack hurriedly looked him over, trying to see where he was hurt. He winced, taking in the nasty gash on Daniel's left temple, even as indecision gnawed at him. Should he risk moving Daniel in order to get him back to the infirmary in the SGC?

"Daniel? Can you hear me? Daniel!"

Deciding in the end that moving the young scientist might possibly aggravate any internal injuries that he might have sustained in the fight, Jack settled for patting Daniel's face gently, trying to get him to open his eyes. Suddenly conscious of sirens wailing in the distance, he looked around, hoping to see the ambulance pulling up next to them. 

It was then that he noticed the only other person in the alley besides the three of them – an elderly woman, her hand clutched protectively around an old tattered handbag. Sending her a brief reassuring smile, Jack turned back to his unconscious friend._ For crying out loud…! What is taking them so damn long to get here?!_

"Will your friend be all right?"

Jack looked up at the softly spoken question. The old woman had moved from where she had been standing beside the wall and was now hovering over them, concern in her gaze.

"I dunno, Ma'am," Jack shook his head. "I can't really tell, not in this light."

"Oh dear… I hope he'll be okay…" she remarked before adding shakily, "he came just in time. They were going to take my bag away from me."

The Colonel could only give a curt nod in reply, just as a patrol car and an ambulance pulled up. The policemen quickly headed towards the old woman, listening closely to her even as a paramedic crouched beside the fallen thug, who was just regaining consciousness. He was arrested the instant he was given a clean bill of health, since apart from a small bump on his head, there was nothing wrong with the man.

Jack stood up and moved out of the way, fighting an overwhelming sense of helplessness as he watched the other EMS personnel drew near and crouched beside Daniel, swiftly checking him over. After a few quick questions, they quickly loaded the linguist into the ambulance. At their questioning glance, Jack wordlessly got in as well, absently patting his front pocket to make sure that he had Daniel's spectacles with him. While one paramedic got into the driver's seat, the other climbed in after Jack, closing the doors behind him. Sirens blaring, the ambulance roared speedily away into the night.


	2. During

Now, with the usual hospital sounds mingling with Daniel's soft breathing, Jack regarded the still figure underneath the blanket, who'd been asleep since taking his medication half an hour ago. Between some basics tests and rest hours, there wasn't much of a chance to talk the whole day. In a way, Jack was glad for the lack of opportunity. He had a feeling he would've yelled Daniel's head off had there been one, considering the mood he'd been in earlier.

Jack puffed out a tired breath, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. A soft gasp immediately following his action caught his attention and his eyes flew to the door, eyebrows rising. There was a young nurse there, one hand at her chest, her own eyes wide with surprise. For a brief moment, they stared silently at each other.

"Uh… hello," she ventured, finally getting over her fright at seeing Jack there, she hadn't realised that there was someone else in the room until she'd heard his sigh.

"Hi…"

"Are you a friend … or family?" she asked hesitantly, moving a few steps into the room.

Jack looked back at the man on the bed, who was currently oblivious to everything that was happening around him. Looking back at her, Jack answered simply, "Both."

By this time, the young woman had reached the side of the bed, and was looking down at Daniel, a thoughtful look on her face. She was vaguely familiar, he'd probably seen her about the hospital but he knew she wasn't one of the nurses assigned to this section of the ward. Jack settled back into his chair, leaving her to her scrutiny of the sleeping man – she was clearly here as a visitor. Lost in his own thoughts, he almost missed her next remark.

"I heard about what he did," she whispered. "It was very brave of him."

Jack responded with a grimace, "Yeah, well, that's Daniel." _Reckless, impulsive, selfless … stressed out … Wait, that's me … It's amazing I still have a good head of hair left …_

"How is he?"

"Hmm? What?"

"Is he going to be all right?"

"Oh, yeah. He's being discharged tomorrow. They're just keeping him here one more night for observation but the doctor said he'll be fine," Jack paused for a moment before adding under his breath. "Until he wakes up that is. I'm so going to kill him…"

"What was that, sir?" the young nurse looked curiously at the older, good-looking man sitting on a chair beside the bed. She could have sworn he said something about killing someone…

"Oh, nothing," Jack hurried to assure her. "Just some … err … personal thoughts…"

She didn't look convinced but accepted his answer anyway, nodding slowly, "Oh, okay..."

The next few minutes were spent listening to the sound of Daniel's breathing as each retreated into their thoughts. Jack was about to shift to a more comfortable position when the young woman asked suddenly, "Does he … have someone special … um … I mean, in his life, that is?"

Jack looked at her, one brow raised in surprise, his body suspended slightly above his chair. She blushed, looking away from the Colonel's astonished gaze as he slowly settled back down.

"I … uh … We … Well, a couple of the nurses were just wondering … and I …" she trailed off, her blush intensifying under Jack's stare.

Getting past his surprise, Jack pressed his lips tighter together, trying hard not to smile at the nurse's increasingly flustered demeanor. Glancing back at the younger man, he watched as Daniel stirred slightly before falling back asleep. _How does he do that?_ Jack mused. _Even in sleep, he continues to draw people to him._

"Uh, no," he answered at last, allowing some of his amusement show. "There's no one at the moment. Daniel's pretty much single … and very available," he added as an afterthought. "Very."

"Oh, that's nice…"

Jack watched, lips twitching, as another blush crept up the young lady's face._ Not bad…  Pretty, AND best of all, a nurse. Medically trained … for scrapes and injuries_, Jack reflected as he watched her gently adjust Daniel's pillows, making the sleeping man more comfortable. _Sweet … Daniel could definitely do a lot worse… _

The young woman straightened after she'd finished, clearly at a loss as to what to do now. Making up her mind suddenly, she turned and stood before Jack, one hand held out towards him. He looked up; eyebrows rising when he saw what she was holding in her hand.

"Could you…" she gave a nervous cough before plunging onward, her words coming out in a rush. "…could you please give this to Doctor Jackson when he wakes up?"

Accepting the small, crumpled piece of paper, Jack saw a name and a telephone number, presumably hers, written on it.

"Sure," he answered, giving her what he hoped was a friendly smile. Apparently, it didn't quite work because she looked at him in alarm before taking a small step backward.

"Err… thanks," she said hurriedly before turning and heading out the door.

"You're welcome," Jack called out after her but only managed to say it to the open doorway, she was already nowhere in sight.

Turning back to the sleeping archeologist, Jack grinned as he shook his head. _Well, Danny boy, it looks like your fan club's just got a whole lot bigger…_


	3. After

"Jack…?"

A voice, rough from lack of use, called out from the bed, rousing Jack from his light doze and uncomfortable position in the chair. Cracking open his eyes, Jack smiled at the sight that greeted him – a groggy, bleary-eyed Daniel looking back at him, the white bandage around his head contrasting starkly with his dark brown hair and pale face.

"Hey," he responded softly, sitting up and stretching his stiff muscles. "How are you feeling?"

"Ow?" Daniel hazarded, putting up a hand to his head and grimacing in reaction. His other hand had automatically gone to his bandaged ribs.

"I thought as much," Jack said dryly, moving the pillows around and helping Daniel to sit up once he'd piled them up properly. "Careful, minor concussion there, remember?"

Wincing at the throbbing headache, Daniel fought the wave of nausea that swept over him. "Really? I wouldn't have guessed…"

"How's the head?"

"Being used as a drum, actually…"

Jack shot him a concerned look as he sat back down, "Want me to get the doc?"

Quickly waving a hand at him, Daniel said in a hoarse whisper, stopping Jack even before he was fully out of his chair, "No … no, I'm fine. Thanks. Enough of doctors please. I think Janet mentioned something about a full medical check up later at the SGC…"

His mouth twitching at the long-suffering expression on Daniel's face, Jack handed him a glass of water without another word. Daniel sipped at the clear liquid with some measure of relief and Jack shook his head, his ire at what happened two nights ago fast replacing his initial amusement as he watched with a critical eye, taking in the linguist's ashen and pinched look. 

At that moment, the object of his scrutiny glanced up, meeting his eyes. Jack couldn't help but to growl at him, "What did I tell you about rushing into things without thinking about them first?!"

Giving another wince at the controlled anger in his friend's voice, Daniel closed his eyes and pleaded softly, "Jack, please, not now…"

The Colonel exhaled a frustrated breath but yielded, respecting the younger man's wishes, at least for the time being, anyway. Besides, Jack told himself, he'd have all the time he needed to chew Daniel's ear off when the archeologist was safely out of hospital and inside SGC. Instead, he bent over and picked up a small container from the table beside Daniel's bed. Without a word, he plucked the now empty glass from Daniel's hand and replaced it with the jar.

"What is it?" Daniel frowned in confusion, turning the tiny glass container around and squinting owlishly at the contents. 

"Fan mail …uh fan … scraps … whatever."

"What?"

"Go ahead, look inside."

Something in Jack's tone got Daniel's guard up immediately. _What's he up to now…?_

"Inside?"

"Yep."

Still directing wary looks at the Colonel, Daniel unscrewed the jar and poured out the contents. Several scraps of papers, of assorted shapes and sizes, floated down to the bed. He picked one up; it had a name and a telephone number on it. A quick glance through the others confirmed his suspicions; each had a woman's name with a telephone number on it. When he'd finished with the final piece, Daniel looked up, meeting Jack's amused gaze.

"Jack…"

The Colonel grinned, his good humour somewhat restored, as he held up his hands in response to Daniel's warning tone. "Hey, don't look at me. Those are all yours. You're the hero here. I'm just the humble messenger in all this."

"The humble messenger…" Daniel repeated wryly, eyebrows raised.

"Yep, have been collecting them for you all last night and this morning. They started coming in even faster once I placed the jar on the table."

"Jack … what have you been saying to these people?" Exasperation dripped off each carefully enunciated word.

"What? I haven't done anything," Jack protested, conveniently forgetting his part in the conversations with Daniel's unexpected visitors where he had unashamedly promoted Daniel's availability. "You can thank Mrs Cobbs for your jar of admirers."

"Who?"

"You know … the nice old lady that you saved the other night."

Realisation hit. 

"Oh…How is she?"

"A bit shaken but otherwise okay. Been singing your praises since you got here." Here his voice dropped into a dramatic whisper as Jack leaned forward and hissed in all confidentiality, "The last I heard, you single-handedly took out four men … muscle bound and all, I might add … and oh, I think there was something in there about a huge killer dog…"

Daniel rolled his eyes at the last comment. Jack was having way too much fun with this. He had a feeling this was going to be a really long day. And, from the look on his face, the Colonel clearly wasn't done yet…

"As for me, I've practically had to beat your admirers off with a stick. Good old-fashioned heroes are hard to come by these days, you know…"

Still glowering at his best friend, Daniel didn't bother responding as he quickly stuffed the bits of papers back into the jar, screwing the lid back on. Despite his headache, however, Jack's glee was rather contagious and Daniel finally shook his head with a grin of his own as he gingerly placed the jar back on the table.

"So, who are you going to call first?"

Giving a startled glance at the jar, Daniel grimaced, before eyeing Jack with mock horror, "Oh no … Even if, and please note the 'if', I do plan to call anyone, there's no way I'm telling you…"

"Hey! C'mon, it's me! Your ol' buddy Jack!"

"That's precisely why I'm not telling you."

"I resent the implication here..."

"Sorry… But–"

"So, which one is she? Quick, gotta go call Carter and T… I can look her up on my way."

"Forget it, Jack. I'm **not** telling you." A pause. "Jack … please put the jar down … Jack!"

The End


End file.
